High School Size and White Student College Readiness - A Statewide, Multiyear Analysis

Q: What is the study’s main purpose regarding high school size and college readiness?

To determine the relationship between high school size and Texas Education Agency College-ready Graduates indicators for White high school students.

Q: How were high schools categorized by size in the analysis?

Using Greeney and Slate’s (2012) criteria: large-size schools had over 1,500 students, medium-size schools had 401 to 1,500, and small-size schools had under 400.

Q: What did the results show about college readiness for White students across different school sizes?

White students enrolled in large-size high schools had statistically significantly higher college readiness rates than those in medium- and small-size schools in English Language Arts, math, and both subjects across all 5 years.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by ahduag

Examines how high school enrollment size relates to college readiness among White students in Texas. The study analyzes 5 years of statewide data for English Language Arts, mathematics, and both subjects using Greeney and Slate’s size criteria (large > 1,500; medium 401–1,500; small < 400). Results show statistically significantly higher college readiness rates for White students in large-size high schools across all 5 years, with moderate effect sizes, supporting economies of scale.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Purpose of the Study

Significance of the Study

Theoretical Framework

Research Questions

Method

Selection of Participants

High School Size and White Student College Readiness: A Statewide, Multiyear Analysis This manuscript has been peer-reviewed, accepted, and endorsed by the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration (NCPEA) as a significant contribution to the scholarship and practice of school administration and K-12 education. Robin L. Moore Julie P. Combs John R. Slate Sam Houston State University We analyzed 5 years of Texas statewide data on high school size and college readiness in English Language Arts, math, and in both subjects for White students. Using Greeney and Slate’s (2012) criteria, large-size high schools had over 1,500 students, medium-size high schools had 401 to 1,500 students, and small-size high schools had enrollments under 400. White students enrolled in large-size high schools had statistically significantly higher college readiness rates in English Language Arts, math, and in both subjects than White students enrolled in medium-size and small-size high schools for each of the 5 years examined in this study. Effect sizes were moderate for all 3 areas and for all 5 years. As such, support was provided for the economies of scale theoretical framework. Implications for policymakers and recommendations for research are present. Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of high school size on the Texas Education Agency College-ready Graduates indicator for White high school students. The College-ready Graduates indicator is one of six indicators recognized by the Texas Education Agency in its college readiness definition. For purposes of this study, we examined the College-ready Graduates indicators for English Language Arts, Mathematics, and both subjects combined for Texas White high school students for the 2006-2007, 2007-2008, 2008- 2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011 school years. NCPEA Education Leadership Review of Doctoral Research, Vol. 1, No. 1 – March 2014 ISSN: 1532-0723 © 2014 National Council of Professors of Educational Administration This manuscript may not be used commercially or edited. When quoting portions of this text, attribution to the author/s is required. Significance of the Study The significance of this study is to provide empirical information to school districts, superintendents, and school boards regarding the relationship of high school size to the Texas Education Agency College-ready Graduate indicators for White students. Results from this investigation may assist educational leaders and policymakers in planning facilities that might enhance student preparation for college. Although a substantial body of literature on school size is available (e.g., Chavez, 2002; Greeney, 2010; Lee & Smith, 1997; Stiefel, Berne, Iatarola, & Fruchter, 2000 ; Zoda et al., 2011), research on school size and college readiness is quite limited (Morris & Slate, 2012) . Accordingly, more investigation is needed (Conley, 2007; NAASP, 2004; Trusty & Niles, 2003; Venezia et al., 2003) . Theoretical Framework In previous studies, two theoretical frameworks (i.e., economies of scale and student connectedness) have been used to describe the relationships between school size and student performance (e.g., Greeney, 2010; Riha, 2011; Zoda et al., 201 1) . Given the recent studies in which student performance has been statistically significantly better in larger-size schools (e.g., Greeney, 2010; Greeney & Slate, 2012; Riha et al., 2013; Zoda et al., 2011a, 2011b) than in smaller-size schools, we relied on the economies of scale theoretical framework for this investigation. The economies of scale theory was originally designed as an economics model to describe the reduction in costs that arise due to expansion (Sullivan & Sheffrin, 2003) . The theory evolved in education as a way to predict the cost efficiency of achieving a particular output based on school size (Bowles & Bosworth, 2002) . Larger schools are expected to provide more opport

FAQs

What is the study’s main purpose regarding high school size and college readiness?

To determine the relationship between high school size and Texas Education Agency College-ready Graduates indicators for White high school students.

How were high schools categorized by size in the analysis?

Using Greeney and Slate’s (2012) criteria: large-size schools had over 1,500 students, medium-size schools had 401 to 1,500, and small-size schools had under 400.

What did the results show about college readiness for White students across different school sizes?

White students enrolled in large-size high schools had statistically significantly higher college readiness rates than those in medium- and small-size schools in English Language Arts, math, and both subjects across all 5 years.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by ahduag